Singular and Plural Form

November 12, 2012

Singular and Plural Form

 

Introduction:

Singular is a term in which a word refers to a single item.

Plural is a term in which a word refers to lots of items.

Example:

Person: seseorang >< Persons/People : beberapa orang.

Thing  : sebuah     >< Things              : beberapa buah.

Animal: seekor     >< Animals            : beberapa ekor.

*What have you learnt? Good. ‘beberapa’ can be translated as ‘some’.

Example in sentence :

• Orang yang menyanyi di samping rumah adalah kakakku.

Translation : The person who sings a song beside the house is my brother/sister.

• Orang-orang yang menyanyi di samping rumah adalah grup paduan suara.

Transalation : The people who sing a song beside the house is a choir.

• Saya mempunyai beberapa ekor tikus.

Transalation : I have some mice.

• Saya mempunyai seekor tikus

Transalation : I have a mouse.

 

*Notice:

• beberapa ekor kelinci >> ‘beberapa’ shows the plural form, so you don’t have to say ‘beberapa ekor kelinci-kelinci’.
• There are several other indefinite articles. They are specialized:
  • Secarik/selembar kertas a (piece of) paper.
  • Sebutir telur an egg.
  • Sebulir air mata a tear (liquid comes from the eye).
  • Sepotong roti a (piece of) bread.
  • Setetes air a dip of water.